Fernando Alonso has dismissed speculation that Red Bull might have been using
a banned traction control system at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso has dismissed speculation that Red Bull might have cheated at the Singapore Grand Prix two weekends ago, saying it is simply up to Ferrari and the rest of the Formula One grid to “do a better job” of matching their pace.

Former team boss Giancarlo Minardi kick-started the rumours in the wake of the Singapore race, which Sebastian Vettel won at a canter, by saying that he had heard a sound from the Red Bull similar to that made by an engine using traction control.

The driver aid, which helps acceleration by preventing the rear wheels from spinning, has been banned in Formula One since 2009.

Although Minardi’s comments were largely ignored by the paddock at large, with Red Bull's massive performance advantage thought more likely to stem from clever use of engine mapping, Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton reignited the speculation in Korea on Thursday when he said of Vettel’s win in Singapore: “If you look at the on-board [camera], he is on the power, full throttle, at least 20 metres before anyone else, which is a huge advantage”.

Alonso, though, said he was 100 per cent confident that Red Bull were complying with the rules. “They are using something different compared to the other teams but something that is completely OK,” said the two-time world champion. “They pass all the checks every race so it’s up to us to do a better job. This different engine noise has been there all year.”

Both Vettel and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner dismissed the speculation out of hand, Horner saying that Red Bull would have to be “fairly stupid” to introduce banned traction control on to a car which is “governed on a single Electronic Control Unit that is through a tender of the FIA and that is scrupulously checked by the FIA”.

Vettel, meanwhile, joked that he might struggle to win here in Korea but traction control would not make such a difference. “But I think we should still have a strong package,” he said.

That is not in any doubt although Alonso, 60 points behind Vettel heading into this weekend’s grand prix, has still not given up hope of overhauling the German.

“The president and me think anything can happen,” Alonso said. “Like the America’s Cup, we saw the American team was 1-8 down and they won 9-8. We know it would be difficult, but if you have two lucky races, things can change very quickly.”

Meanwhile, Sauber confirmed on Thursday that they were looking at bringing Rubens Barrichello, Formula One’s most experienced driver, back to the sport next season. The 41-year-old last raced for Williams in 2011. He has since competed in IndyCar and Brazilian stock cars.